Woman Dies, Infant Survives Horrific Garden State Parkway Crash at Jersey Shore

LACEY — A 20-year-old New York woman was killed and an infant was injured Friday, Aug. 7, after a serious crash on the Garden State Parkway in Lacey that temporarily closed the highway’s northbound lanes, according to New Jersey State Police.

The crash happened near milepost 75.8. Investigators said a Toyota sedan driven by 26-year-old Johan Mendez, of New York, veered off the roadway and slammed into a guardrail along the left side of the Parkway.

The Toyota, which was carrying four people, then returned to the roadway and collided with a Hyundai sedan, according to State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron.

Police said Iisiz Lopez, 20, and an infant were seated in the rear of the Toyota when both were ejected during the crash.

Lopez suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead, authorities said. The infant was injured in the crash.

The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not released additional details about the condition of the infant or the circumstances that caused the Toyota to leave the roadway.

Mendez, the infant and the other passengers suffered minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The driver of the Hyundai, whose identity was not released, also sustained minor injuries.

New Jersey State Police troopers arrived at the scene shortly before 3 p.m. Friday as authorities began investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, according to Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron.

The investigation remains active and ongoing.

The collision forced the complete closure of the Garden State Parkway’s northbound lanes for several hours, resulting in traffic delays and a backup stretching approximately seven miles.